The Jacksonville Jaguars entered the offseason with a handful of pressing needs. One that isn't mentioned nearly enough is their pass rush. Sure, they have a pair of standout defensive ends, but the front office must round out their rotation to ensure they bring the heat on a consistent basis, something they often failed to do last year. Fortunately for the Jags, there's a strong chance Joey Bosa will be available.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports that the Los Angeles Chargers plan to cut Bosa this offseason barring a contract restructure. He has a cap number of $36 million but moving on from him would free up a substantial $25.3 million. Los Angeles may want to put the former Pro Bowler on the trade block, but knowing they'll incur a massive cap hit, they'll wait until he's released.
Granted, the Chargers may want to keep Bosa, but not at this current rate. His recent production doesn't match the $13 million in base salary he's slated to make next season. The former Ohio State Buckeye has missed 23 games the past three seasons and logged a combined 14 sacks in that span.
This begs the question, why would the Jaguars go after Bosa if he's just a shell of his former shell? Leaving aside his name recognition, he would shore up an area of need and do it at an affordable rate.
Joey Bosa would round out the Jaguars' pass-rush rotation
When Joey Bosa was healthy the past three seasons, he was a solid-not-great pass rusher. His best days are probably behind him because of injuries, but he could still be productive in a rotation. That's the kind of role he would get if he were to join the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen are a dynamic tandem but the rest of the Jacksonville rotation leaves much to be desired. Last year, the Jags' pass-rush win rate of 27.0 percent ranked last in the NFL. Furthermore, defensive tackle Maason Smith was third in sacks with three. Add the fact that Arik Armstead will switch back to defensive tackle, and the duo could use a bit of help. Enter Bosa.
Because of his name recognition, you may think that Bosa would command a high salary but probably won't. The demand for his services should be there, but it's hard to see a team shelling out big bucks when you consider his injury history and his decreased production the past three years.
It's hard to truly tell how much clubs are willing to pay Bosa, but the 2023 offseason would serve as a parameter. That year, Frank Clark, Leonard Floyd, Calais Campbell, and Jadeveon Clowney inked one-year deals that ranged from $2.5 million to $7 million. Yannick Ngakoue ended up getting $10 from the Chicago Bears but they surely had buyer's remorse after his underwhelming production in the regular season.
This is to say that Bosa may need to settle on a one-year, prove-it deal with incentives based on playing time and production. If that's the case, the Jacksonville Jaguars should most definitely go after him if the Los Angeles Chargers release him.
It would be a win-win situation. Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen get help while Joey Bosa will get a shot at earning a better deal in 2026 if he delivers and stays healthy.